Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | Best Bang for the Buck | Best Buy Under $100 | |||
Price | $430 List $369.99 at Amazon | $428 List $339.99 at Amazon | $80 List $87.99 at Amazon | $100 List | $130 List $89.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | This basic projector offers straightforward functionality well suited for office use | A very bright projector that excels in an office environment and offers a decent movie experience | If your expectations are low and you're deadset on an ultra-low-budget projector, this is the one to get | A no-frills mini projector for the leanest budget and lowest expectations | A projector to avoid unless you prioritize price and portability above all |
Rating Categories | Epson EpiqVision Fl... | ViewSonic PA503W | Happrun H1 | TMY Mini | AuKing Mini 1080p |
Entertainment (30%) | |||||
Business (30%) | |||||
Contrast Ratio (15%) | |||||
Brightness (15%) | |||||
Set up/Use (5%) | |||||
Input Lag (5%) | |||||
Specs | Epson EpiqVision Fl... | ViewSonic PA503W | Happrun H1 | TMY Mini | AuKing Mini 1080p |
Measured ANSI Lumens | 2061 Lumens | 2664 Lumens | 249 Lumens | 119 Lumens | 136 Lumens |
Measured Fan Noise | 38 dBA | 41 dBA | 45 dBA | 30 dBA | 43 dBA |
Measured ANSI Contrast Ratio | 638:23 | 775:26 | 43:5 | 41:10 | 51:10 |
Measured Input Lag | 54 ms | 48 ms | 46 ms | 46 ms | 45 ms |
Measured Dimensions (L x D x H) | 11.6" x 8.3" x 3.4" | 11.6" x 8.6" x 4.3" | 9.3" x 8.1" x 3.5" | 7" x 5.31" x 2.76" | 7.95" x 6.3" x 2.91" |
Measured Weight | 5.3 lbs | 4.9 lbs | 3.5 lbs | 2 lbs | 3 lbs |
Projection Technology | 3LCD | DLP | LCD | 3LCD | LED |
Light Source | Lamp | Lamp | Lamp | Lamp | Lamp |
Claimed Brightness | 3000 Lumens | 3600 Lumens | 9500 Lumens | 7500 Lumens | 9500 Lumens |
Carrying Case Included | No | No | No | No | No |
Native Resolution | 1280 x 800 | 1280 x 800 | 1920 x 1080 | 1280 x 720 | 1920 x 1080 Support |
Smart Streaming Capability? | No | No | No | No | No |
Contrast Ratio | Not Specified | 22,000:1 | 10,000:1 | 5,000:1 | 2,000:1 |
Aspect Ratio | Native 16:10 | Native 16:10 | Not Specified | Native 16:9 | Not Specified |
Zoom Ratio | 1.0 - 1.35 | 1.0 - 1.1 | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified |
Throw Ratio (Wide to Zoom) | 1.27 - 1.71 | 1.55 - 1.70 | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified |
Backlit Remote | No | No | No | No | No |
Vertical Keystoning Correction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Horizontal Keystoning Correction | No | No | No | No | |
Lens Shift | No | No | No | No | No |
Lens Cover | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
3D Capable | No | Yes | No | No |
Our Analysis and Test Results
While it lacks premium features, this straightforward projector provides essential functionality for office use. We appreciate its portability, simplicity, and price, but we don't recommend it for home entertainment.
Performance Comparison
Entertainment
For top-notch performance in home entertainment, a projector should offer high contrast, high brightness, and sharp image quality. Advanced models often include smart features like built-in streaming apps, which earn them extra points in our tests.
The Flex CO-W01 skips out on a lot of that, so we feel it's targeted towards the business user rather than the home cinema market. However, it still has decent color, albeit with less contrast and a more washed-out look than top performers.
Business
Thanks to its portability, sufficient brightness for well-lit spaces, and overall simplicity, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 makes a solid business projector.
Color accuracy matches up with source documents well, with whites and colors exceeding a lot of projectors when it comes to slideshow presentations. However, the edge-to-edge clarity leaves something to be desired, especially on fullscreen spreadsheets. Overall, reading text and graphics was fine.
This small and relatively light projector is portable, so it picks up a few points there. It comes with a remote but no controls onboard the projector, which isn't ideal. If the remote is misplaced, there is no way to adjust some settings. In fact, the projector doesn't feature much besides a manual focus ring; it's even minimal on ports, with just 1x HDMI, 1x USB-B, and 1x USB-A.
Contrast Ratio
The Flex CO-W01 demonstrated good separation of dark and light colors, making it one of the best units outside of the top performers in terms of contrast ratio.
Epson doesn't specify a contrast ratio for this unit, but we measured a 638:23 ratio in our ANSI contrast ratio test.
Brightness
Epson lists the Flex CO-W01 as a 3000-lumen projector, and we confirmed a respectable 2061 lumens reading with our light meter. This projector is plenty bright enough to be seen in well-lit office environments.
Setup & Use
Projectors that perform well in this category often come equipped with a variety of convenient features, such as adjustable legs for both front and rear settings on uneven surfaces, backlit remotes for effortless button location during movie nights, and voice command recognition.
Additionally, we consider enhanced keystoning and focus controls, zoom capability, and integrated tripod/ceiling mounting options as factors when awarding points in this metric.
This Epson features the bare basics: a remote control, a 5-watt integrated speaker, manual focus, manual keystone adjustability (from the remote control only), a front leveling leg, and a tripod mount on the bottom.
Input Lag
A projector with low input lag is really only necessary if you intend to use it for competitive gaming. The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 performs ok here, with an average response time of 54 milliseconds at its 1080p resolution, as measured by our signal input lag test device, taking an average of the readings from the top, middle, and bottom of the screen.
Should You Buy the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01?
If you're looking for a simple and portable projector for business use, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 shows a lot of promise. It has a good contrast ratio and sufficient brightness for most environments. However, if you're more interested in movies than spreadsheets, there are far better options.
What Other Projectors Should You Consider?
If you want the best business-oriented projector we've tested, check out the Epson Pro EX9240. It exceeds the Flex CO-W01 in most metrics that make a good business projector. If you want a more versatile projector at a similar price, check out the Best Buy awardee Viewsonic PA503W.